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Review of Arrow Episode 10 "Burned"

When Arrow premiered I was hesitant to tell anyone, especially my fellow Geeks, that I was watching it. But I’m not one to shy away from my opinion or challenge someone’s pre-conceived notions/judgments. Example, I rather enjoyed Daredevil and was sad that it’s sequel was the abhorrent Elektra.

My saving grace when talking about Arrow when it first aired was describing it as the closest thing we’re going to get to watching Batman on television. It’s not that big of the stretch. Anyone with $5 bucks and half a brain can see the similarities: both masquerade as witless rich playboys by day and scourer their city for villains by night. Both like their toys (trick arrow’s and batarangs, anyone?). And both are extremely hot hotties.

Last week’s return of Arrow continues to prove my assessment when Oliver has to track down a mysterious killer of firemen. Spoiler, its Firefly! No, not Joss Whedon’s best show ever, but a villain from Batman’s Rogue Gallery.

And I only know this because my beautiful partner is on hand to fill in all the DC gaps (raised a Marvel boy myself) with his quick like Wikipedia knowledge. First Huntress and now Firefly. I can only hope Arrow continues down this road and Felicity does become Oracle.

Some purists might take offense to this blending of characters and lore but I’ve always been an advocate for creators taking creative license to re-interpret their source material and make work in it’s new medium. And I have to tip my hat to all who work on Arrow for doing just that.

Now, to what I’m wagging my finger at. Unrealistic scenes between Oliver and Laurel. In the episode Oliver is having a pity party for being bested by The Dark Archer and refuses to don the hood. Laurel’s best friend’s brother dies in a fire causing Laurel to investigate and learns there appears to be a serial killer of firemen on the loose. Laurel contacts Arrow and they meet in Laurel’s apartment. Laurel hands Arrow her evidence. Hands. As in is less then a foot away from the Make-Upped Hero (don’t worry, we’ll get to that). Anyone trying to keep their identity a secret would not put himself or herself in that situation.

And if they did, any information or object that needed to be passed along would be done with a table between. “Thanks for tip Laurel. Feel free to place the envelope on the table. Good night and good luck”. Taking notes scriptwriters? Feel free to use that creative license I applauded earlier. Those lines weren’t Wes Anderson worthy at all.

Then later on in the episode Laurel calls Arrow for advice after leaving a firehouse with Oliver. Spoiler, Arrow and Oliver are the same person. Not even a block away from Laurel, what does Oliver do when his Arrow cell phone goes off? He answers it! The only reason I can see why the show is encouraging scenes like this is that they are holding onto hope that these two will become an item again or they’re trying to tantalize the audience with characters whose “love” will never die. This isn’t 1997 and they aren’t Ross and Rachel. Man up and let these characters move on so we don’t have to stomach silly scenes like this again.

Now to my biggest critique of this show. Why the hell does Arrow use a hood and GREEM MAKE-UP to hide his identity? Does Oliver have stock in MAC? It’s unbelievable and extremely impractical. At the end of the episode Tommy Merlin hosts a fundraiser at Oliver’s new yet to open club (conveniently located on top his super secret base) to raise money for the families of the dead firemen.

Firefly crashes the party seeking revenge on the Fire Chief who left him to die years ago. Everyone escapes and Oliver pops downstairs for a quick costume change. This quick change is the fire chief’s only hope to survive and we’re to believe that Oliver is able to suit up in that tight green leather get up AND apply is Fashion Week Face?

As a trained actor I believe in quick changes but trust me, those moments are not a one-man show. You usually have a dresser or two, maybe even the stage manager, and few others helping you de-clothe and suit up. Unless Arrow got struck by some speed force lighting there’s no way he would have been able to save the fire chief. All this to say, BUY A GOD DAMN MASK OLIVER!

Oh and his sidekick Diggle jumps on the shirtless bandwagon. Question Geeks, who wore it better?